Halo Gateway (Old Version)
by Commander Kelec
Summary: Major June Cooper is returning to active duty as General Jack O'Neill takes command of the SGC. The year is 2020 and new threats loam on the horizon. Alternative Universe story where the Halo and Stargate races are in the same galaxy.
1. I To P1B-304

Halo Gateway Chapter I To P1B-304

* * *

On the 4th of May of 2016 the existence of the Stargate Program was revealed to Earth's entire population. As expected it resulted in anger, fear and wide-spread riots across the planet. There was an outrage that it had been hidden for so long and under the control of the United States of American. The existence of the IOA somewhat calmed most governments, but not the ire of Earth's people. It was decided to create the UEAF-United Earth Armed Forces-which was a type of Marine Corps drawing manpower from all of Earth's countries. Stargate Command and the experienced teams serving there were all kept, since their experience would be needed more than ever. The SG teams was basically a Special Forces branch and the UEAF was responsible for the standard troops. The SGC had authority over the marines, and a military Council was established with authority over all military matters. The Chairman of the Council was shifted between them at regular intervals.

Between then and 2020 three colonies had been established. Valhalla, New Adjustment and Casablanca. The largest was Valhalla with 11,000 colonists, the others had 3,000 and 400, in that order.

One of the gravest threats against Earth came from a SG Colonel named Joseph Eli-who had been originally presumed dead long ago when they were at war with the Ori. He then created a militaristic organization called Advent. They had become a force to reckon with and a threat to Earth and its allies with their ' _human domination at all cost_ ' ideology.

Speaking of allies, the Free Jaffa Nation was back on their feet, but their alliance with Earth was shaken by internal politics and a loaming Civil War on the horizon that seemed almost unavoidable. They had rebuild and reorganized their powerbase after the Ori and a High Council had been reestablished on Dakara. Which had been rebuilt after the Ori destroyed the Ancient weapon and the temple. But there were fractions amongst the members of the High Council and the different factions within the Jaffa ranks.

One people who had faces hardship after hardship was the URG, or, United Reach Government. The military body, the UNSC, United Nations Space Command had been thorough devastated in the last decades. They had begun colonizing space through ships and gate travel decades before they encountered their first alien threat. The Covenant. It was an alien hegemony far more advanced and powerful than any primitive human worlds they had found yet. For three decades they fought a bloody war of annihilation, the UNSC fighting for the right to exist. It ended when the Goa'uld System Lords focused their collected attention on them. The first battles was swift and carried great defeats on both UNSC and Covenant forces. At least colonies occupied by the Goa'uld wasn't entirely exterminated, but enslaved-if that was any comfort. What is the life of a slave if not another death? For what is life without freedom?

The UNSC was saved from the Goa'uld when Anubis launched his bid for total power. But it only bought them a few years because then the Ori appeared in the Milky Way. The UNSC was forced to join forces with the Free Jaffa and Stargate Command on Earth. With the Ori's eventual defeat and return to their own galaxy it left a galaxy to rebuild. The UNSC had countless planets to rebuild and re-colonies.

After the Goa'uld decimated their forces the Covenant suffered defeat after defeat. Their war with the humans of the UNSC had to wait as their destruction seemed imminent. It was the most devastating conflict in the Covenant's history. The System Lords-the Goa'uld's ruling body-saw great opportunities from the Covenant.

The Sangheili and Jiralhanae had the potential to perfect and ultimate replacements for the Jaffa. They were stronger and knew the hardship of war, and loyalty. The Unggoy was seen as a good slave race, but pitiful soldiers. The Yanme'e was seen in a similar light, but their ability to fly could make them a wild card in combat. Very much so in large numbers. The Kig-yar offered their mercenary services to the System Lords in hope of doing just what they did to avoid destruction by the Covenant. But the Goa'uld ignored the offer and decided they would make decent slaves and warriors. Good cannon fodder. The Lekgolo was strange creatures that couldn't be made host to a symbiote and seemed hard to control. Therefor they tried to exterminate them. Though some survived most died when their homeworld was obliterated. Last but not least was the San'Shyuum. Their lazy nature and physic made them an unlikely alternative as slave labor, and warriors…laughable. Only a few hundred of their species survived the Goa'uld cleansing of their species. Most escaped into unknown space together with most of the Huragok. The fantastic engineer race the Covenant had used. They were biological supercomputers and if they hadn't mostly disappeared the Goa'uld would have had great use of them.

The War against Anubis and the decimation of the Goa'uld at the hands of the Replicators ensured that the Covenant races survived enslavement, but the Covenant, and there believes was forever shattered. A Civil War followed. The most prominent was the Sword of Sanghelios-a Sangheili led faction under Arbiter Thel Vadam. The Jiralhanae fought the Sangheili, UNSC and themselves in many small wars for power within their Clan society. The Kig-yar returned to their mercenary, trade and pirate lives and expanded their operations across the galaxy. Power within their society fell to the unofficial High Council, a Conglomerate of powerful pirates. The Yanme'e and Unggoy was caught in the middle of everything. Many Yanme'e return to their homeworld, but the Unggoy remained a faction subjugated by everyone and with no powerbase of their own. Their homeworld-Balaho-was governed by the Thel Vadam's Sangheili faction.

The date was now February 2020, or 2566-UNSC Calendar.

* * *

 **12** **th** **February 2020, Earth Calendar**

 **System Sol, Planet Earth, Stargate Command**

US Air Force Major June Cooper walked up the corridor towards General Jack O'Neill's office. She had been called as soon as she arrived on the base. She hoped it would been a briefing on a mission. It would be her first mission back after her injuries over a year ago. She had been shot in the spine by a Staff weapon and left in a wheel chair for eight months. Another five months in to recover and slowly being able stand upright and walk and run.

She stopped outside and knocked on the General's open door. The grey haired man looked up and waved her inside and gestured for her to sit as he talked on the landline on his desk.

"I know…he's a Sangheili, they always growl…" he listened and occasionally spoke. "…Lord Hood's delegate said as much. They're putting pressure too and-yes, Mr Carver…Well that's something you should ask the President…no…we are…good day." He hung up and breathed out, annoyed. He looked at the tan skin woman. Her black hair sat in a ball behind her head. "That was Mr Craver, IOA. Did you meet him before your injury?"

"No, sir. I don't think it's ringing a bell," Cooper answered truthfully in her English accent.

"Lucky you. He's nagging me about Advent. Practically on a daily basis, want us to take more action and do one of those operations the UNSC launched two weeks ago."

Cooper arched an eyebrow. "Did they strike Advent, sir?"

He arched his brow. "Haven't heard?" She shook her head. "Two weeks ago ONI and our own sources had put together enough Intel to identify three Advent bases. They gathered a hundred starship, three Battalions of those Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and a few Spartan units, love those guys by the way, the armor-the-the quick reflexes and…never mind. A massive operation. They eliminated a total of seventeen Advent Frigates and Corvettes-nothing larger though-and killed three-hundred and twelve troops-not counting the ship crews, capturing fifty-eight. Their own losses was below the one-hundred mark."

Cooper thought that sounded pretty impressive. But it was a shame no Cruisers or Carriers was destroyed. Those were Advents true naval strength. The Frigates and Corvettes was easy enough to rebuild or buy.

"Sounds like an impressive effort, sir."

"Does, doesn't it?" O'Neill semi-agreed.

She felt a ' _but_ ' coming.

"What's the problem General?"

He straightened up and looked at her with a frustrated expression, but it wasn't frustration over her, just the facts of the case, which she understood.

"There was a reason we waited and asked them to do the same. Three Advent bases and just under four-hundred personnel? Two of them were minor and one was still being built. Was supposed to be a future airfield. Holding capital class ships, you know. If we had waited we had a chance of dealing a heavy blow in the future. And…Advent launched retaliatory strikes, which we knew they would!"

She saw that O'Neill was very frustrated about this, and she couldn't blame him. She couldn't blame the UNSCs swift action either. The Jaffa, UNSC and Sangheili all were frustrated with their-at first glance-vain attempts at stopping Advent. They had been for over a decade. Since way back in 2007, fighting the Ori. Advent had been a growing problem for a long time. But although Advent had been born from former SGC personnel-Colonel Joseph Eli-it was mostly made of humans from primitive worlds and actually a good amount of disenfranchised UNSC personnel too. Many had joined after Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood reined in ONI and reformed part of the military branch.

"What, sort of retaliatory strikes?" She was hesitant to ask, knowing Advents homicidal tendencies.

"They launched an assault on the Zeta site, our Valhalla colony, two UEAF protected worlds, a Jaffa world and a UNSC space station and ambushing a UNSC Battlegroup."

"Jesus…" Cooper breathed. That was an ambitious play to say the least.

"The Zeta site held, 27 dead, Valhalla's target was the shipyards but our brave marines held their ground as the _George Hammond_ and _Trafalgar_ arrived and crippled Advents position with F-302s. Advent killed a hundred civilians on the two protected worlds before we beat them back and the Jaffa world saw a village wiped out. The UNSC station destroyed was a science station, crew of 37, all dead. The Morrow Battlegroup was ambushed by Cruisers and a Carrier with Corvette support. Advent lost a Cruiser, half a dozen Corvettes and the Carrier was severely damaged, but not before destroyed two Carriers in return," O'Neill finished. "Eli hopes to deterrent us from launching any similar strikes in the future." He clenched his fists fumingly under the table. "He's wrong Cooper. Damn wrong."

"Damn right sir."

"Our way might take longer, but I will have Eli put in the ground." He sighed and leaned back. "And you know the political crap. UN's been pressured by UNSC and Sangheili to do…' _our_ '…part against Advent. Which gave way to IOA's Mr Craver." He ended by gesturing to the phone.

"I'm happy to say politics are over my head as a Major," she said honestly.

O'Neill smirked. "Lucky you. Let's talk about your mission. First one back. How's it feel?"

"Damn good, sir."

"Good. Tell me, have you had a chance to see your team yet?"

"Not yet. But I planned on it when we're through here. I, eh…imagine Rae's had a hard time?" Rae was extremely anti-social and really awkward, but she was also one of the smartest people in the SGC despite her young age. Cooper's team had found her on a mission where her village had been burnt down by a Jiralhanae raiding party and she was the only survivor. She had grown attached to the girl and Rae had grown desperately attached to her.

O'Neill nodded. "Even after a year her, you're the only person she **really** trusts. Poor thing's been anxious and worried about you. Sergeant Roark has kept an eye on her and her psych eval was normal." He changed subject and put a file on her side of the desk. "P1B-304. Minor planet in the Free Jaffa Nation. They call it Hallana. A month ago a Sangheili archeologist got permission to search the ruins a km from the gate. He originally suspected that they were Forerunner, but he's identified them as Ancient after finding markings and some old door underground. It screamed Ancient tech and so he got the rights to open up a dig sight and look closer into it. Local Jaffa helped with labor and we sent in SG18 as security after a joint operation was agreed upon. There's also a full Platoon of ODSTs there. Colonel Gate say's they have excavated enough to almost open the door and peek inside." He arched an intrigued eyebrow. "Right, I want your team to relieve him."

"A baby sitting gig, sir?" Cooper questioned disappointed. "I realize I've been away for over a year but I promise you that-"

"Cooper," O'Neill interrupted her. "I have full confidence in you, you've evaluation was perfect. This is an important mission. There could be some really cool Ancient weapons or artifacts inside. Local Jaffa Garrison Commander, a woman called Zolana says her Scouts have seen Advent on more than one occasion. Expect trouble."

"So they heard about the ancient ruins and want their hands on whatever's inside," Cooper put together.

"Pretty much. Your team leaves in one hour. Dismissed."

She stood up and saluted. "Sir."

She found her teammates outside the locker room after a few hours of training. Lifting weights, and running on the treadmill and the likes. The first person she saw was Rae. The red haired eighteen year old was leaning against the wall, hands in her pockets, looking at the floor like she mostly did. Intentionally avoiding eye contact with everyone. Cooper imagined she finished quickly and was now waiting for the rest of SG23.

She stopped in front of her and smiled widely. Rae's eyes locked onto the familiar pair of boots.

"Hi honey, how's it hanging?" Cooper said.

Rae raised her head and stared at Cooper with wide red eyes. After a fraction of a second she took a long step over and hugged her. She rested her head on her dark green uniformed shoulder.

"J-june," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotions.

"Yeah hon. I'm back."

It was like the dam holding her tears back broke because the young redhead started crying her eyes out as tears streamed down her cheeks. Cooper gently rubbed her back.

"It's okay love. Everything is back to normal," she whispered soothingly.

She let Rae hug her for a minute or two until she voluntarily let go.

"Missed you," she said in her usual low voice.

"I missed you too," Cooper assured her. She could see a big smile Rae's face.

The door to the locker room opened and first out was Colonel Reynolds of SG3.

"Major."

"Colonel."

Second was Senior Master Sergeant Demetrius Roark. Her XO and acting OC during her recovery. The giant South African man's face was overtaken with a grin when he saw her. He grabbed and shook her hand hard.

"Good you dropped by Cooper. Almost thought you forgot about us," he joked.

"I could never," Cooper answered with a grin of her own in her English accent. "Haven't changed much I see. Still having a bad hair day."

He scratched his bald head and chuckled loudly in his husky voice. It was just a moment later that SG23's last two members joined them. Staff Sergeants Robbie Flannigan and Abbigail Phantom. Abbigail, or Abby for short, was the newest member of SG23. She had only been with them for a few weeks when Cooper got hit in the back with a Staff blast. While Robbie Flannigan hugged Cooper, Phantom snapped to attention.

"Ma'am."

"Good seeing you back June," Flannigan said with honest joy.

"Right back at you, Rob." When the hug broke apart she turned to Phantom.

She extended her hand and shook it.

"How's it going Abby? Good seeing you."

"I'm good ma'am. It's really good to see you back with us. Hasn't been the same without you," Phantom said.

"You can say that again," Flannigan agreed.

"I'm sure you survived well enough with Demetrius as CO."

"Well enough," Flannigan said with a mischievous smirk.

Roark threw him a mock glare. Rae added an emphatic nod that he had been a good substitute.

"Thank you. Someone's grateful," the South African gestured to her.

It made her blush and she quickly looked down at her shoes. Cooper put her arm over her shoulders.

"Have you guys been briefed?"

"Three hours ago ma'am," Roark switched to his professional voice. "Only waiting for you."

After gearing up they arrived in the embarkation room just as Sergeant Walter Harriman said, " _Chevron five encoded_." Cooper saw O'Neill standing behind Harriman.

Cooper stopped at the lower end of the ramp and looked up at the gate. It felt like a lifetime since she walked through the stargate. She sucked in air and breathed out through her nose.

" _Chevron six encoded_."

After all this time nothing had changed here. Everything was working like before she left.

" _Mind the curfew kids_ ," she heard the General's voice through the room's intercom.

She turned around and gave him a two finger salute.

" _Chevron seven…locked_ ," Harriman finished.

Cooper led her team up the ramp towards the Stargate's event horizon.

"Let's see what Hallana has to offer," she said with finality before stepping through.

 **Planet P1B-304 aka Hallana**

The next moment her boots touched the stone platform the stargate of Hallana had been raised upon. The Stargate was standing in a circular field surrounded by lush green trees reaching for the sky. The clear blue sky was devoid of any clouds. The field was thirty meters across.

"Nice place," Flannigan commented. "Reminds a bit of good old Tennessee." He looked at Cooper for a moment. "Did I tell you I grew up there?"

"Only every mission offworld," she exaggerated.

He thought about it. "Can't have been that often. Was it?"

Cooper marched off towards the direction of the ruins.

"Let's keep moving. Got a short kilometer to walk." She reached to key her earpiece. "Colonel Gate, this is Major Cooper, SG23."

" _Hey Coop, nice of ya to drop in on us_ ," the Colonel answered cheerfully. A bit too much for Cooper's liking. If she knew him right she was walking into a boring mission with nothing to do. It was probably what it had been like for them here. " _Corporal Locke and I took bets on who they'd sent to relieve us. He bet on Colonel Reynolds, but not me. Put my money on you. You earned me twenty bucks_."

"Well," she said and rolled her eyes. "Always thrilled to assist." She looked around them. "We are started off towards your location. Shouldn't be long."

" _Copy that. Give the Drop troopers a wave. Their Platoon is watching the gate_."

She looked around and spotted a black armored individual in the tree line. He waved at them.

"Right. Got one. Cooper out."

She figured the ODSTs was spread out around the field or had a basecamp hidden in the vegetation, out of view. She recognized the man as Gunnery Sergeant Casco. She had met him on a joint mission three years ago, and on a few delegations where her team acted security for their people.


	2. II Advent

Halo Gateway Chapter II Advent

 **12** **th** **February 2020, Earth Calendar**

 **Planet Hallana aka P1B-304**

Cooper looked at the ruins surrounding her. Old greyish ruined buildings all around them, standing tall against the elements as they had done for millennia. It wasn't as much ruins of a city as a village or compound as far as she could tell. There appeared to be around twenty or thirty buildings at first glance.

It was a welcome sight when Colonel Benjamin Gate strolled over to welcome them.

"June!" He called out.

She stopped eying the ruins and focused on the bald African-American approaching.

"Benjamin."

"Took you long enough getting here," he joked with a warm smile. "Stopped for takeout? Cus I could use a cheeseburger."

"As funny as ever I see," Cooper answered with a smirk. "What's the situation?"

"Boring," he said flatly. "That's the situation. We've been curled up here, doing nothing for way too long. Now it's your turn." He patted her on the shoulder. "Good luck. SG18 move out."

The rest of his team followed him, exchanging quick greetings with Cooper's team when they passed each other. Gate's team was made up of five people, like hers. Instead of two none-Earthlings he had two. A pair of sisters who were better fighters then a lot of military personal Cooper had worked with. They had been recruited by Advent some years back and had decided to sneak out Intel to the SGC. After an operation to capture Colonel Eli they were evaluated and allowed to join the UEAF. Later they transferred to the SGC on Gate's request for them to join his team. And although Eli escaped the attempt to capture him, one of his main bases was shut down.

Cooper stepped through what appeared to have been a wall a few millennia ago. Inside she saw the hole that had been dug leading down through the ruin the Ancient doorway was. They had put up some makeshift support to hold up the remaining structure so they could easily walk down to the bunker entrance without risk of a total collapse. There was a handful of Jaffa. One of them was fiddling with a weapons rack with their Staff weapons. Or a Ma'Tok staff, that she had recently learned it was called in the Goa'uld tongue.

"Tek'ma'te!" One of the Jaffa greeted Cooper upon spotting her. It was a young looking man. "You must be Major Cooper, and SG23." He eyed Roark and Rae as they came through the former wall.

Cooper nodded respectfully. "Correct."

"Tek'ma'tek," Rae said, glancing up. It was a word that-like much of the Goa'uld language-could have different meanings depending on the situation, but now it meant ' _Friend well met_ '.

Cooper gestured to her team. "That's Senior Master Sergeant Roark, Staff Sergeants Phantom and Flannigan and lastly Rae."

"Then the moment of truth will fall to your eyes and not Colonel Gate," the Jaffa commented. "Well, that is his loss."

Cooper avoided sighing. "Yup. His loss."

"If you excuse me, Major."

She nodded and he walked back to some of his men.

Cooper turned to her team. She looked up at a high tower in the center of the ruins. "Flannigan I want you to see if you can get up there. Get a clear view of the area. Phantom go with him."

"Yes ma'am," Phantom complied.

"Yes Major," Flannigan responded.

"Rae, Roark, you're with me."

"Ma'am," Roark acknowledged.

Cooper made her way down to the Sangheili archeologist. He was the first of his race she had seen without the armor. Yun Jhelum was actually wearing tan colored robes. He worked on a holographic image pad attached to the door console. Apparently he had more skills than archeology. Not unlike Doctor Jackson.

Hearing footsteps he looked over his shoulder. He looked at her for a while.

 _A new human_. "That is an SG uniform. Have you relieved Colonel Gate?"

"I have," Cooper said.

She looked at the large two meter alien as he made a clicking sound with his mandibles and turned back to his work.

"I see."

"Can I assume you are Yun Jhelum?"

"You can."

He seemed very uninterested in her at the moment. She took the hint and turned on her heels and walked up to leave him alone. She sat down against a stone and watched the clock tick by. Rae sat down beside her. She didn't say anything, just annoyed her being back. It was obvious on her smile.

After eleven minutes to the second Jhelum walked up and opened a box sitting on a metal table.

"What is your name?" He asked, looking casually at Cooper.

"Uh, Major June Cooper. Leader of SG23," she introduced himself.

Jhelum scoffed amused. "Did Colonel Gate get tired of archeology?"

"Just standard. After a period of time a team gets relieved," Cooper answer simply.

"And you drew the short straw." His large mandibles seemed to curve into what could be the Sangheili version of a smile. "Soldiers do not find my work interesting. So don't try and tell me you wanted to be here."

"Ancient tech is always interesting to me," she defended.

Jhelum drank from a bottle.

"Hoping for weapons inside?"

"Something like that."

"Most do. I would prefer knowledge myself." He sat down on a rock. "You see, in our war with the UNSC I was a Zealot. My duty was to search for Forerunner artifacts and bring them home to High Charity."

* * *

Benjamin Gate was all smiles on the way back to the gate. Getting out of this place was worth celebrating. It had been an age with nothing happening and nothing to do but keep the ruin secure. He almost missed the Ori. Apart from the horrific acts, but the action and always having something to do. Granted tracking down Advent brought a similar feeling. Oh well, maybe things would change if Earth took sides in the Covenant Civil War raging. This far they hadn't done much to support the UNSC and Sangheili.

As they approaching the field where the Stargate was located the two sisters Wolf and Fox were whistling a nice tune. The sisters both had pale skin and ebony black hair. Their main differences was eye color and length. Wolf was the oldest and taller than Fox.

The wind gently swooped through Wolf's long black hair. She was athletically built and stronger than appearance showed, proven by the K13 Harrower she carried. It was a newer model of a Light Machinegun. It was adopted by the SGC and United Earth Armed Forces back in mid-2019. Wolf thought it a good addition to her arsenal of grenades, knives and katana swords.

Benjamin himself wielded an AMCR, or Adaptive Multirole Combat Rifle. It was a new type of assault rifle with a black outer, silver marks, a steady scope with a firm pad against the shoulder and finally a black cylinder shaped handle in front of the trigger and below the barrel. It could handle both automatic and semi-automatic. It had become a standard weapon for SGC personal.

"What do you think they're serving in the cafeteria today?" Corporal Alan Locke asked to anyone who knew.

"I'd love some mash potatoes," their medic-Lance Corporal Maddie Stahl hoped with a hint of excitement. "Some meatballs and burning spices on that. Chilly for one."

"Mash potatoes and meatballs with chilly?" Locke chuckled. "Are you mad?"

The young blonde medic raised a gloved finger. "Don't mock it until you try it."

They had reached halfway out across the field when the Stargate spun into action. There was an incoming wormhole.

Benjamin halted them by raising his enclosed fist. He lowered himself and sprinted forward to the DHD and aimed towards the Stargate. Wolf came up on the DHDs right side with her K13 Harrower. He gestured for Corporal Locke and Lance Corporal Stahl to take up kneeling positions on opposite sides of the Dial Home Device-DHD-that controlled the Stargate. They both aimed their Adaptive Multirole Combat Rifles towards the Stargate.

"Gunnery Sergeant Casco," Benjamin said in his earpiece.

" _Two of my men just reported gate activity,"_ the Gunnery Sergeant responded quickly. _"In position in fifteen."_

The ODST had set up a camp for their Platoon in the forest. Away from prying eyes. They had men watching the Stargate at all times with the rest just moments away. Even if it took a moment for Casco's Platoon to get in position two of his men already were. It might not even matter if it was General O'Neill's scheduled check in. Although he wasn't the guy to call five minutes after the check in time run by.

The unstable vortex appeared as always and the gate was active. Now they waited to see if it was friendlies or hostiles.

 _Moment of truth_ , he thought.

Out of the event horizon jogged a line of the men he wanted to see the least. In their medium heavy black armor, thick helmets with a T shaped visor, glowing red. The mask had a built in breathing system for harsh environments.

"Vanguard!" He shouted.

In a micro second he and his team members opened fire. All five of them started pouring led into the armored men. The first line of men had five-all armed with their version of the Harrower-clearly modified though-went down in the oncoming hail of led.

The Vanguard was Advents Elite troops. The toughest, meanest and craziest bastards they had. They had the best armor, weapons and newest tech. They had a tradition of being the first sent in because of their ferocity and bloodthirst in battle. Not to mention their complete disregard for their own individual survival. Remarkable little was known about them.

Two seconds after the first stepped through jogged a new row of fire through. They discovered their dead comrades and a hail of led ripping through their armor covered bodies. Although their armor was strong, it was focused mainly on dispersing damage from plasma weaponry. It was based on UNSC Spartan armor, but overwhelmingly weaker than the design they tried copying.

Three men went down but two threw themselves to the side and fired back. Both of them took a bullet through the T shaped visor before they could aim on SG18-curtasy of Casco's boys.

"Fallback to the tree line!" Benjamin ordered. "Wolf, we cover our six!"

"I got it!" Wolf replied in her confident voice. "Sir!" She added. It was something she and her sister was trying to improve on. Using ranks and 'sir' or 'ma'am' in the right place. Still a work in progress though.

Locke was first to withdraw with Fox and Stahl right behind him. Benjamin and Wolf covered their six, jogging with their guns aimed at the Stargate.

"Cooper!" Benjamin shouted in his commlink.

" _Yes, sir,"_ Cooper replied. He heard on her voice that she had picked up that something was very wrong.

"Vanguard at the gate. We're being cut off!"

" _We're on our way!"_

"Negative!" He paused to fire at the next row of Vanguard. He fired two bursts of three rounds before having to reload. "That's a negative Major. Defend the dig site!"

" _Understood."_ She wasn't happy to sit back and wait. To be fair, he wouldn't be happy with that either.

Wolf's Harrower roared as it pumped out a hail of slugs. Before pausing to reload her final spray took down three Vanguard troopers.

"Tell the Jaffa to contact the Garrison commander. We are going to need reinforcements."

" _On it, sir_!"

At that point the ODSTs was in position and provided suppressing fire that would have halted any normal soldier, but not Vanguard. Half provided covering fire and half charged forward with finger on their trigger.

Benjamin spotted the ODST Platoon set up sixteen meters from where his team entered the forest.

Upon entering the tree line he threw himself on the ground and turned to fire. His Adaptive rifle unloaded slug after slug into the enemy.

Fox gripped her assault rifle and modified it quickly into a sniper. Locking in semi-automatic, attaching a long range scope and extending the pad against her shoulder. She quickly started getting headshot after headshot and dropping man after man.

" _Interceptors!"_ Benjamin heard Casco warn through the commlink.

Two Advent fighters approached at an extremely high velocity. Seeing them it was obvious they had stolen the models from the UNSC Longsword design. Just like the Harrower, they had heavily modified it. Behind the fighters came in a number of grey dropships.

"Stay down!" Benjamin shouted. "Keep your heads down!"

The fighters released two missiles each when they were a hundred meters above. The missiles devastated the ODST positions upon impacting the ground, causing a large explosion.

"Gunnery Sergeant! Gunnery Sergeant Casco, come in!" Benjamin shouted over the commlink, a hint of horror on his face. The explosion was big enough to have engulfed the entire Platoon if they were tight enough. "Casco!"

" _Here…"_ he coughed. _"God… still alive."_

While he ducked away from incoming fire he said, "Casualties?"

" _I…I don't know for…"_ he paused for some heavy cough to pass. _"…six, six still fighting."_

 _Oh god_ , he thought. The Platoon had a complement of 48. He could only hope for survivors that was injured or unconscious.

"Let's fallback to the ruin. We can't hold here."

"… _Right. Yeah-yeah I got it,"_ Casco's wary and shaking voice came through the commlink.

"Sir, counting twenty Vanguard," Locke informed. "But I spot at least ten dropships-splitting up-and each has a carry capacity of a Platoon each."

"Fallback!" Benjamin barked at his team. "We make for the ruin!"

The Vanguard was getting too close for comfort, and with dropships on the way they were about to be overrun. Benjamin was painfully aware of that the dropships came from space. Meaning Advent had at least a Cruiser in orbit. Potentially a Carrier and definitely Corvette escort.

While they ran through the forest Wolf turned her head to Benjamin. "And you said this would be boring!"

"I know-I know! Just keep moving and shooting, Wolf!" He answered.

"My favorite pastime," she joked.

* * *

"I don't think seventeen Jaffa and us, will be enough," Cooper said with a hard and professional tone. "Even adding Colonel Gate's team and whatever poor drop troopers survived that bombardment."

"We should be able to hold until the Zolana send reinforcements from the fort," Roark theorized. "Colonel Gate missed his scheduled. General O'Neill knew it wouldn't take long for him to walk back to the gate. I'd guess half an hour or so until he checks in on us."

Cooper held back a sigh. "Half an hour. Have to been quick. Roark I want you with the Jaffa on their turret near the main road."

"Yes sir," Roark nodded.

A dirt road made its way through the ruins and it went right past the underground entrance.

Cooper turned to Rae. "You stay back here, okay?"

"W-where are y-you-" she stuttered.

"Nearby, but I want you with Jhelum down there. Can you do that?"

Rae slowly nodded. Cooper knew she would rather be with her but she couldn't put in the middle of the action. She was good with a gun if need be, but it was a risk she didn't want to take yet. As the professional soldier it was her duty, not Rae's.

Flannigan and Phantom was still up in the tower. Flannigan would sit and take shots at the enemy and Phantom would hold the bottom floor so Flannigan didn't get rushed. Two of the Jaffa was over there too. The rest was spreading out around the perimeter.

"Jhelum, how long until you can open it?" Cooper asked the Saurian-like alien.

"Thirty minutes, that should be enough," he answered promptly.

"Let Rae have a go."

"The girl?" He scoffed. "Don't insult me."

Cooper frowned at that. "Give her a shot. She knows her stuff, okay?"

There was a long pause.

"Jhelum! We don't have time for this. We're outnumbered and outgunned here. We can't hold back Advent forever!"

"Fine," he sighed with an irritated voice.

Cooper turned to Rae and gestured for her to go down and see if she could get the door open. Rae ran down and took over Jhelum's task.

"Major, when she fails and wastes time, it will be your fault," he told her through the commlink.

"And when she succeeds it will be because of her." Cooper closed the channel and took up a position almost ten meters from the underground facility. The Sangheili was getting on her nerves now. She wasn't going to accept anyone that was treating Rae bad.

She heard Staff weapons fire not too far away. It was followed by projectile weapon fire.

" _I have Shock troops in my scope sir,"_ Flannigan reported. _"Three Platoons approaching from the east."_

"Copy that. Fire at will."

" _Sir. Wait, I got SG18. Heading towards your position!"_

"Thanks Rob," Cooper said relieved.

A moment later she saw SG18 making a final dash towards the perimeter.

Benjamin landed beside her and turned around, his rifle aimed and ready.

"Nice of you to join in, sir," Cooper said sincerely.

"We were in the neighborhood. So, Major. You set up the perimeter, where do you want my people?" Benjamin responded.

"Roark could use some backup on the road, southern position needs shoring up. Jaffa are spread thinner there," Cooper said. "And two here."

Benjamin turned to his team. "Locke help Roark, Fox and Stahl south. Wolf and I stay with the good Major." He had that positive tone in his voice Cooper noticed in the strangest of situations.

"Where's the UNSC team?" She asked as SG18 sprang into action.

"They're holding out in the forest," the Colonel answered.

"Cut off?"

"Yes."

She saw the first shock troops coming out of the woodwork. Unlike their Vanguard counterparts these guys had light armor, but still black. Red stripes was a special detail that made them recognizable. They had a lot lighter armor to make them faster and more agile, without armor pieces to carry on them.

Benjamin and her Adaptive rifles started firing and Wolf opened up a barrage with her Harrower.

"You think they know something we don't June?" Benjamin asked between bursts.

"Like what's inside the facility?" inquired.

"Yeah." He managed a headshot on a shock troopers.

"Would make sense given the number of bodies their throwing at us." She thought about how much the UNSC helljumpers must hate these guys. They shared a name, yet the ODSTs was far superior. They were Special Forces material, whereas these were the regulars of the Advent forces. Unlike their Vanguard counterparts the shock troopers used cover and was more careful about getting killed. "Could be they just assume it's valuable."

"Think Eli would throw all this at us than?"

She shrugged. "Maybe he figured it would be easy."

"Major, Major!" Jhelum yelled excitedly over the radio.

"What? What is it?" She answered.

Ducked down into cover.

"She did it! The girl hacked the console and unlocked the door! Unbelievable!"

Cooper looked up at Benjamin and his gaze met hers.

"Go, we'll hold them."

"Yes sir!" She rushed back to the door and halted when Jhelum and Rae came into sight.

They stood outside the open door and waited for her. Rae was positively glowing with pride.

"Moment on truth," Jhelum said, getting himself under control. "Since you have the weapon, would you like to go first?"

Cooper nodded and stepped inside with her rifle aiming in front of her. The room lighted up as she entered.


	3. III Artifact

Halo Gateway Chapter III Artifact

 **12** **th** **February 2020, Earth Calendar**

 **Planet Hallana aka P1B-304**

The first room was circular with a few computers in, but nothing else. It lighted up as Cooper stepped inside. Jhelum was behind her and Rae came last. The room had the standard architecture of any Ancient structure.

"Extraordinary," Jhelum breathed.

"Never been inside an Ancient base before?" Cooper asked.

"Apart from your, Atlantis, no. That was seven years ago," he answered.

Since Atlantis returned to Earth through hyperspace to stop a ZPM using Wraith Hive ship from culling Earth's population it hadn't left the Milky Way. Although it had been on Earth it could-if necessary-fly and be used as a warship of extraordinary power. With three ZPMs it was able to operate at full power. Before the Ancient weapons platform in Antarctica became operation 2012 it was Earth's last line of defense.

"Devoting my time to advancing technology for all races is my way of starting to make up for my atrocities in the war with the UNSC," he continued with a heavy voice. One of regret.

Cooper could understand the regret he felt. It wasn't far from the guilt some Jaffa felt. After committing genocide and atrocities for years or decades in the name of their gods, realizing that they wasn't gods and that those acts was in the service of a false faith. It was pretty similar to the Covenant races positions. Jhelum had-apparently-committed atrocities, such as slaughtering human's populations in the name of his faith in the Forerunners as gods and the Great Journey. To then found out that the Covenant's rulers had lied about so much. Causing millions of pointless deaths. Although they didn't claim godhood themselves-their actions was too close to the Goa'uld's for comfort.

Cooper approached the second door and it automatically opened and the next room lighted up. It was like the facility was coming alive after a long sleep.

The next room was bigger than the first and had a lot of consoles, some tech Cooper had never seen before and, most importantly, it was powered by a ZPM. Cooper realized that if it had truly been inactive for thousands of years-at least-it could still had a good amount of power. It might be far from depleted.

"Is…that a Zero Point Module?" Rae whispered.

"It is," Cooper confirmed.

Jhelum walked over to the console running the ZPM station and looked at it.

"Extraordinary…" he said. He clicked his mandibles in awe. "A Zero Point module."

Cooper wondered how difficult it would be to decide who could have it. Earth, Sangheili, Jaffa or UNSC. It was a Jaffa planet after all, but a Sangheili dig site. The only people using Ancient technology was hers. The UNSC would certainly love to put their scientists and ONI at work with a ZPM, hoping to implement its use somehow or just deprive Earth of them. She wouldn't put it past ONI to do something like that. It had become clear over time that a large part of ONI hated not controlling Atlantis and an Ancient weapons platform, such as the one on Earth.

Jhelum started tapping the console.

"Woah, hang on," Cooper halted him. He turned his head to her and clicked his mandibles. "Removing it would power down the facility, right. So let's not until we've cleared out Advent or have a way out of this mess."

"Do not think to order me around human," Jhelum told her with frustration and continued tapping the console. As he did, his frustration grew.

He didn't know how Ancient systems worked and it would take him a while to get the ZPM.

"Colonel, what's happing out there?" Cooper asked.

" _We're falling back!"_ He replied. _"Regrouping around the facility!"_ He paused. _"Staff Sergeant Flannigan and Phantom is injured. Nothing fatal_."

Cooper cringed when he mention her people. "Got it."

" _I spoke with the Jaffa in charge, and he said his garrison Commander is sending reinforcements. But it'll take a little while_."

"Let's see to it we have that long."

" _Yes. You found something?"_ His curiosity was peeked.

"A ZPM. Don't know how much power is left though."

" _Huh, cool_."

She heard steps and jogged over to the door leading to the other room. It was Roark carrying a wounded Flannigan inside. He put him up against the wall and helped his sit down. Next in was a Jaffa assisting Phantom. The brunette groaned painfully. She had dirt over her face and a bleeding wound on her right arm and side.

Cooper ran up and took a knee beside them.

"Are you guys alright?"

"We'll live ma'am," Phantom responded.

Flannigan looked at Cooper and offered her a pained smile. "I've honestly been better."

"What happened to you two?"

"The, ah…" Flannigan started but was interrupted by his own grunt of pain as he shifted position to get more comfortable. "…Advent fighter made a pass and blasted our tower to bits. We barely got out, but got a few scratches." Then his gestured to his leg. "A shock trooper put one through my left. Went through and through."

Cooper put a hand on Phantom's knee.

"Don't worry. I'll get you two back to the SGC. I promise."

"I have no doubt, ma'am," Flannigan said confidently. "Me and Abby here will just sit back and chill." He nodded to Phantom.

Cooper slowly stood up. "Sounds good. Roark?"

"I'm good, sir," he assured.

Cooper turned around when a cursing Jhelum stormed past them. Apparently he hadn't had a lot of success with the ZPM. She looked through the doorway to see Rae getting to work on the console. It didn't take her longer then a moment to get it out. The ZPM appeared in the middle of the console holding it. She nodded for Roark to follow her inside. He grabbed a bag that had supplies in it.

"Nice work, Rae!" She complemented.

She blushed and smiled.

Cooper grabbed it in both her hands and Roark opened the supply pack. He had poured out the supplies first.

"We can't let Advent get this," Cooper said as he pulled the pack onto his back.

"They won't. Not as long as I breathe," he guarantied her.

Cooper's thinking was that the ZPM was safer with them then just sitting in here. If they could break out they could take it with them. The thought striked her that it also ensured the chance that she could bring it back home without an argument. It was probably opening up a political quagmire but when it was back home nobody was going to let it leave. She knew exactly what General O'Neill thought about giving away a ZPM. _'Over my dead body'_.

With Rae and Roark on her heels she headed to the entrance.

"Rae, I want you to stay with Rob and Abby, okay," she requested.

Rae looked at Flannigan before nodded. He gave her a grand smirk. It actually looked kinda painful. Outside Roark and Cooper hooked up with Benjamin and the others. She counted eight Jaffa. It probably meant that the rest was dead.

"How many Advent soldiers are we dealing with, sir?" Cooper asked.

He was sitting behind some rocks and overlooking the dirt road.

"At least sixty. Plus Vanguard. Assuming they didn't pull them back," Benjamin assessed the enemy numbers. "Their fighter support left after blasting down the tower. Probably doesn't want to risk damaging this place. Hurting their price."

"Heavy weapons?"

"They would risk destroying the facility if they used them. No. they're coming on foot with small arms and Harrowers."

"Well, that's always something," Cooper mused.

"ATTENTION!" A male voice cried out.

It caught everyone's attention and Benjamin and Cooper glanced over the rocks they used with cover. Jhelum came up behind them.

"Shock troops I presume?" He said from behind them.

"YOU CANNOT ESCAPE!" The man continue screaming. "HAND OVER THE ARTIFACTS! WE KNOW YOU HAVE THEM!"

Jhelum looked at Benjamin with a hardened gaze.

"You must not give it to them," he said sternly.

Benjamin turned his head to him. "Oh, give me some credits Jhelum." He leaned his head against the cover. "Why should we?!" He shouted.

"YOU ARE SURROUNDED!" The man screamed at the top of his lungs.

Cooper and Benjamin exchanged a look.

"We have you exactly where we want you!" He claimed. "Your only option is to surrender!"

There was a moment of silence before the man screamed again.

"GIVE UP OR DIE!"

Benjamin sighed. "This guy seems to be kind of a 'one note' kind of fella."

"No kidding," Cooper agreed with a smirk.

He held up a finger and simply couldn't help himself. "Idiot say what!?" Benjamin shouted.

"WHAT?"

"I didn't catch the last. Wanna say it again?"

"GIVE UP OR DIE SGC HOUND!"

"No, still didn't catch it? Care to speak clearer!?"

"Is it necessary to antagonize them?" Jhelum asked annoyed.

Cooper just shook her head. Suppose it was good he was buying them time. Benjamin looked at him with a serious look on his face.

"Yes."

"LAST CHANCE TO SURRENDER THE ARTIFACT OR DIE!" His voice was filled with anger this time.

"We'll take option number three!" Benjamin decided to make his own.

This time the answer was bullets and advancing troops. Benjamin was the first to return fire.

"Nice try Colonel," Jhelum scoffed.

"Like you could do better!" Benjamin proclaimed over his own weapons fire.

Cooper fired a burst and ducked down.

 **12** **th** **February 2566 UNSC Calendar**

 **UNSC territory, Planet Tusken Orion, Indignity Tower**

Office of Naval Intelligence Colonel Jan Wadsworth was sitting behind his desk in his office, reading up on the Prowler Santino's mission from across the galaxy. Thanks to their friends on Earth granting them hyperdrive technology some years back, that journey didn't take centuries, but a week. It was an amazing change from Slipspace technology.

The _Santino's_ mission had been to gather intelligence on Jaffa activities by any means necessary. ONI had seen the cracks in the Jaffa High Council years ago and decided to use this to their advantage by putting a Jaffa who was pro-UNSC and loyal in charge. It would off course mean that the High Council had to be dissolved and all power placed in one individual. Doing that would mean that their candidate had to had support from the majority of the Jaffa military body. The idea for the last few years had been to put their faith in a Councilor named Ry'banuc. Unfortunately he was the only obvious choice-but he didn't have the most military backing. That fell to others such as Teal'c, Bra'tac, Mun'ano and Amenset. Neither of them could be manipulated to be loyal to UNSC or ONI.

The door panel chimed.

"Enter," he acknowledged.

The door slid open and Krishna Ivanovna came inside. She was head of ONI on Tusken Orion and Junior Director, answering directly to Director Albert Forsberg. Like him and Wadsworth, she was of the old order. Chances as being pushed down from the top, ordering all ONI operations approved by a chosen outside committee, being the biggest. Many at ONI hadn't agreed with it at all, resulting in some resigning to join Advent, and some ignoring the new regulations degreed by the President, Lord Hood and the Security Committee. They ran secret operations and ignoring the Presidential office and Security Committee.

"Ma'am," Wadsworth greeted.

"Colonel," she gave him a nod. She stopped in front of his desk. "I understand the Santino returned."

"They did. I'll have the report sent to you shortly," he assured her. Since the mission hadn't been sanctioned it would be an unofficial report. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Yes. You're leaving for the conference on Erudas soon, yes?"

He nodded.

She dropped a datapad on his desk.

"Your fellow delegates are Admiral Petra Hammond and Ambassador Tillers." She leaned over his desk. "Junior Director Hargrove arrives in a few hours. Keep all unsanctioned operations under the radar."

Wadsworth nodded understandingly. Hargrove had been assigned by President Francisca Redfield. He had a very different opinion on how ONI should operate and believed in the sanctions, which made him a threat and a liability. But his assassination would incriminate ONI-evidence or no evidence-and could bring the Director ONI brass down.

"The President picked Hammond?" Wadsworth questioned.

"Makes sense doesn't it?" Ivanovna answered flatly. "She's loyal, popular in the public eye and is a veteran of the Covenant war, and hero from the Goa'uld and Ori conflicts."

"And Ambassador Tillers brokered the original alliance with Earth and the Jaffa," Wadsworth remembered. He sighed. Wasn't it time for the old hag to retire? Admiral Hammond was a thorn in their side and they just wanted her gone. Since the Director ordered them not to assassinate her or other prominent military figures-claiming her death would be a blow for UNSC security-which Wadsworth scoffed at.

 **12** **th** **February 2020 Earth Calendar**

 **Planet Earth**

 **Continent North America, Cheyenne Mountain, Stargate Command**

Jack O'Neill had his hands shoved into his pockets and overlooked the Stargate from the position by the briefing room's large window. The Stargate was in the midst of being activated. Colonel Gate was overdo to report back from P1B-304 by twenty minutes. He could have made it back to the gate by now. He wasn't the guy to forget it either, even if he did Cooper would have reminded him. He was getting a bad feeling for this.

To his right was Doctor Daniel Jackson. The archeologist was looking a lot older than the young made he had gone to Abydos with the first time, so long ago. Not that he wasn't older himself. Heck, it probably showed more on him then Daniel. The though made him smile.

"Don't you ever get tired on conferences and meetings?" He asked his old friend.

Daniel was wearing a clean black suit and a blue shirt underneath with a black and dark blue striped tie. His suit jacket was open and he had his fingers fiddling behind his back.

"Not really," he answered rather casually.

"Huh, go figure." He turned his head to look at Daniel. "How's Atlantis treatin' ya?"

"Good, it's good. I could spend forever looking over all the data." He looked back at Jack. "Hopefully I'll get the chance."

"Well, the city's not going anywhere," O'Neill shrugged.

Daniel looked down at the embarkation room. Specifically the team standing all geared up at the foot of the ramp. There was a MALP in front of them.

"Where's Mitchell going?"

"Hopefully nowhere, but Colonel Gate is twenty minutes late from dialing in from P1B-304. I have him and SG4 on standby."

Daniel frowned slightly. "Isn't that the planet with the Ancient facility that was locked down?"

"Yes. Which is one of the reasons I have a bad feeling about this. A lot of people would love to get their hands on whatever is inside. There's a Platoon of marines ready to gear up when I give the order."

"Let's hope it's nothing."

" _Chevron six encoded_ ," Sergeant Harriman said through the intercom in the embarkation room.

"Excuse me," O'Neill said and walked to the spiral staircase down to the control room.

"Chevron seven…locked."

He came up behind Harriman just as the Stargate opened. He leaned in towards the radio.

"Colonel Gate, this is Stargate Command, do you read," he said into it. "Colonel Gate, do you read, this is Stargate Command."

Benjamin's voiced carried through with gunfire in the background. _"Yes General! God I'm glad you called!"_

"What's the situation Colonel?"

" _Under Advent assault! We've withdrawn to the Ancient facility entrance and we're outnumbered and outgunned. Request immediate reinforcements!"_

"Do you control the gate?"

" _Negative, Vanguard overran us in the opening phase!"_ There was an explosion in the background. Perhaps a grenade.

O'Neill turned to Harriman. "Send that MALP through and order the marine Platoon to gear up and have their asses here as soon as possible."

"Yes sir," Harriman acknowledged.

"Reinforcements on the way Colonel. Just hold out."

" _Yes sir, holding out_!"

"O'Neill out." He turned to the screen showing the feed from the MALP.

The MALP entered the event horizon and in a second appeared on the other side. The first O'Neill saw was black armored soldiers. Advent Vanguard. Seven of them at the foot of the gate. Within three seconds the MALP stopped transmitting. It wasn't hard figuring out it had been destroyed.

"Prepare to send A UAV through, I want the bird's eye view."

UAV stood for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and was used for scouting for the air.

"Yes General."

"Colonel," O'Neill said into the intercom connected to the embarkation room. Mitchell turned around. "At least seven Advent soldiers at the foot of the Stargate. Send a few grenades through first, then you have a go. A UEAF Platoon will follow you through shortly."

"Got it, sir," Colonel Cameron Mitchell acknowledged and turned to SG4s team leader. A Chinese gentlemen by the name Takada, rank Major. "Let's go."

They made their way up the ramp and Mitchell and three of SG4 prepared a grenade. On Mitchell's command they lobbed the grenades through and gave it a good five second count before Mitchell and a man with a K13 Harrower stepped through, with the rest of the Chinese team following.

Mitchell had a tight grip of his weapon. By refers engineering Ronon's Particle Magnum-an energy weapon he had picked up from a Pegasus group called the Travelers-scientists had finally managed to create their own version. Though they had performed well in controlled environments, Mitchell was going to give one of them a field test. Specifically a Particle Rifle. A larger version of the Particle Magnum.

* * *

When Mitchell materialized on the other side he aimed for the Vanguard soldier in front of him and squeezed the trigger on his Particle Rifle. A rapid succession of two bolts hit the man dead center and he collapsed backwards.

There was two more Vanguards, both getting up after having thrown themselves to avoid the grenades. The rest were dead. He quickly counted-including the two living-nine.

The Harrower carrying marine brought one of them both in a barrage of led.

Mitchell killed the last himself with a bolt from the Particle Rifle into his visor. Like the original, it had three settings, stun, kill, incinerate. He had it sent to kill.

He looked around. It felt strange to only leave nine men to guard the Stargate. Maybe they had needed the rest to fight the others, or they expected to be gone by the time anyone arrived. Clearly a miscalculation.

"Stargate cleared, sir," Mitchell informed O'Neill.

"Nice work Mitchell. Backup is five minutes away. O'Neill out."

The Stargate shut down. In five minutes the United Earth Armed Forces Platoon would storm through they the General would launch an UAV to get a clear overlook of the battlefield.

"Sir, look!" Major Takada pointed up.

Mitchell looked up to see Advent Fighters engaged with Death Gliders over a Km away, give or take. He assumed that was the Jaffa Garrison responded to the attack. Then ground troops would be incoming soon too.

"Colonel Gate, this is Colonel Mitchell," he said.

"Nice to hear from you Colonel," Benjamin responded cheerfully.

"Right back at ya, Benjamin. I got SG4 and we've secured the Stargate. More backup should arrive in five," he informed him. "Wanna get me up to speed?"

"Happy too Cameron. The remaining ODSTs linked up with us our position is holding and a Squadron of Death Gliders just swooped in and started taking out fighters and a few dropships. It'll take another half an hour or so before ground troops arrive. There was some kind of delay at the fortress, but Zolana had some more happy news for us."

Mitchell and SG4 started jogging. "Yeah, what's that?"

"She says a couple of Motherships dropped out of hyperspace and engaged Advents ships. A Cruiser and four Corvettes."

Mitchell frowned inquisitively. "Can two Motherships beat a Cruiser plus Corvette escort?"

"I don't know, but one of them got heavily damaged and rammed the Cruiser. They laid down their lives, and ripped the damn Cruiser almost in two. Zolana's keeping me updated with what's going on. Cam, if we don't beat these guys that sacrifice will have been for nothing."

"Then we better win. We're heading towards your location as we speak."

"Colonel!" One of SG4s men alerted.

A three Vanguard stormed out of the forest ten meters away and made a crazy dash towards them.

"Take 'em out!"

The one of the left was quick to go down, but not before getting a deadly hit on one of the marines. A combined burst from Major Takada, one of his men and Mitchell eliminated the third six meters away. The third and last almost ignored the bullets the Harrower filled him with. They ripped through armor and body. He screamed in a blood rage and charged on. He threw him weapon away and drew a Sangheili energy sword. Mitchell didn't have time to question by he had it and fired two bolts into his chest. He immediately switched the setting ot incinerate and put a bolt in his head. The helmet and head incinerated, allowing the body to fall to the grass with a loud thud.

Mitchell walked over to them with SG4 behind him.

"I really hate these guys," Mitchell breathed.

His eye caught a pistol attached to the man's waist. He picked it up. It looked like a Covenant Plasma pistol, but blue and silver colored. It had been modified and had a slightly different design.

"The hell? Check if the other two had these things."

It didn't take the marines long.

"Both do sir," Major Takada said. "What is it?"

Mitchell stood up from his kneeling position. "Well…it sure as hell looks like Advent has managed to reverse engineer the Covenant Plasma pistol. Nothing about that can be good for us."


	4. IV Erudas Conference

Halo Gateway Chapter IV Erudas Conference

 **12** **th** **February 2020 Earth Calendar**

 **Planet Earth**

 **Continent North America, Cheyenne Mountain, Stargate Command**

Colonel Cameron Mitchell supported Staff Sergeant Flannigan down the ramp. They had just returned from P1B-304 after a Battalion of local Jaffa overran Advent's positions and caused a chaotic retreat. Unfortunately for them they couldn't go far since their Cruiser had been destroyed, along with a Corvette. The other three withdrew to Hyperspace. With the Stargate under SGC control, the ground troops had no escape route. Some men surrendered while most fought on to the death. It had been a relatively easy victory towards the end.

In front of Mitchell walked Cooper and Benjamin. O'Neill was at the ramp's bottom to greet them.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"June and me are fine, sir," Benjamin answered.

"Casualties?" The concerned General asked.

"Lost one from SG4, two of June's guys wounded and Locke plus Major Takada," Benjamin said. "I'd say we got lucky out there. A lot more UNSC drop troops and Jaffa lost their lives."

O'Neill nodded somberly.

The embarkation room was filled with soldiers and a few medics that took care of the wounded. Mitchell handed Flannigan over to one of the nurses.

"You guys get better soon okay," Cooper told Flannigan and Phantom.

"Yes ma'am," Phantom answered predictably.

"Will do," Flannigan said with a handsome smile. Or as handsome as he could manage with his injuries and pain.

O'Neill turned to Benjamin. "Colonel, considering the firefight you just went through I can have another team take over your next mission."

"All due respect sir, escorting dignitaries to Erudas is child's play compared to fighting Vanguards," Benjamin said steadfast. "We're good to go on your command."

O'Neill studied him for a moment.

"Alright then. Get some rest. You're leaving for Erudas in two hours."

Benjamin snapped to attention and saluted. "Yes, sir!"

O'Neill saluted back. "Dismissed Colonel. Get some rest."

Cooper accepted the bag from Roark and handed it too O'Neill. The General looked intrigued.

"Brought home a gift Major?" He inquired jovially.

"Saw it and fought of you, sir," she said with a smile.

He looked inside and saw the ZPM he had ordered her to bring back after she inquired what to do with it. Off course they had checked with the local Jaffa Commander and she had contacted a High Council member-Teal'c-and he didn't have a problem with the SGC having the ZPM.

"Oh, you shouldn't have," he started, smirking, then got a bit more serious. "Seriously though, good work. We can hook this up to one of our Daedalus class Battlecruisers, or…" he got an idea. "…or the _Achilles_!"

Cooper looked awed for a moment, as did Mitchell who now stood beside her.

"It's finished?" They asked in unison.

"I-I thought it had a month left," Cooper added to their joint statement.

O'Neill gestured for them to walk with him. He handed the ZMP to a technician. "Take care of this." They walked out of the embarkation room. "They speeded it up last month and thanks to Doctor McKay managed to cut off a month on construction."

The general had an 'Oomph' in his step.

"Our first Carrier, as if that wasn't great enough we now have a ZPM to power it!"

"Very cool, sir," Cooper agreed completely. "Who will command it? Rumor said Reynolds before I got shot."

O'Neill waved his finger. "Shouldn't listen to rumors, although in this case, their right. Colonel Reynolds left while you were away."

The _Achilles_ was a 1,029 meters long Dragon Class Carrier. It far surpassed the Daedalus Battlecruisers F-302 Fighter Interceptor complement of sixteen with a maximum of one-hundred. It had a crew of over seven-hundred and was heavily armed and armored. Having both a thick hull and Asgard shielding. It was equipped with Asgard Beam Weapons, a large number of Railguns and missiles. The _Achilles_ had been constructed on a large shipyard in Egypt. A massive amount of resources had been relocated to the project after the shipyard was constructed 2016 when the Stargate became public knowledge on Earth.

O'Neill sighed. "On to the boring stuff. Do you fellas remember the documentary Emmet Bregman made years back on Pentagon's request?"

Cooper thought about it.

"They ran it a few times on TV after revealing the Stargate," Mitchell remembered reading, as it was before his time, and later saw it on television after the big reveal.

"Well, the Security Council has decided to give a camera crew access to the SGC to give people a view of what we're doing here on a daily basis," the General explained with a negative tone. He wasn't a fan of this at all.

Cooper didn't like it either, but she had to recognize that people wanted to know more about the SGC. Even with it being public knowledge, three colonies, offworld bases and shipyards, a lot of SGC activity was still classified and not open for the public eye, like a lot of UEAF operations was. People wanted to know what was happening out there.

"How, eh…long is this going to take?" Mitchell asked.

"I don't know, until they feel they have enough or the Security Council Chairman says it's enough. Hoping to be offworld?"

"Honestly I was hoping," he said. "Benjamin's lucky. That conference is probably going to take a while."

"Hey, sir," Cooper spoke up. "You think my team should act as extra security?"

"You have two injured. You're down half your team," O'Neill remarked. "Besides, you ain't getting' out that easily. If I have to sit through this crap, so do you two."

Mitchell and Cooper sighed. They turned a corner to get their gear off. Finishing up Cooper decided to check up on her people in the infirmary. Mitchell accompanied her.

"How did the Particle Rifle handle?" Cooper asked curiously.

A big smile appeared on Mitchell's face.

"Like a dream!" He proudly announced.

"That so? In that case I'm gonna ask the general if I can perform a, _field test_ , next mission."

The elevator in front of them opened and a few marines walked out, allowing them both inside. Mitchell keyed in the right level on the panel and the elevator doors slid back together and the elevator started moving upward in the shaft. He leaned against the wall as Cooper put her hands in her pockets and did the same.

"Any pointers, sir?"

He waved away the _'sir'_ since they weren't on a mission.

"You'll have the charge for your belt, so don't lose it."

She snickered. "Right." She was thinking of something less obvious but she'd take it. Always something. They were both quiet for a moment.

"Oh, yeah!" He remembered.

She looked up at him again.

"I, ah…never congratulated you on your medals. Purple Heart and the Outstanding Unit Award. Congrats."

She smiled back at him.

"Well, thanks. I don't know how much of a congratulation I need for the Purple Heart. Just got shot."

There was a moment of awkward silent after that.

"…yeah." He wasn't sure what to comment on that. He didn't want to say anything insensitive.

He was saved when the elevator doors slid open.

"Come on!"

Cooper breathed out. _Backed him into a corner, didn't I? Stupid_.

They made their way to the infirmary to check up on Flannigan and Phantom. She was anyway, Mitchell was accompanying her for the sake of company.

* * *

Daniel Jackson was waiting at the bottom on the Stargate's ramp with UN representative Ingvar Karlsson and Security Council General Pierre LeClair. The task of leading the UEAF fell under the Security Council, their control also included the Stargate program.

SG18 was geared up and ready to embark with the representatives. Apart from Alan Locke that had been injured. Fox was leaning against the edge of the ramp, her rifle hanging over her shoulder. She was talking with her sister. Wolf seemed only half interested in the conversation.

"You just want one because that guy Dex had one," Wolf accused her little sister.

"W-w-what!" Fox put up a stuttering defense,

"I-I do not. Why would you-"

"Cause you got a crush on _Ronon_." There was a smug look on Wolf's pale face.

Fox's first reaction was to look around with her white eyes to make sure nobody heard that.

"Y-you're being ridiculous." She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her head up.

"Okay, if you say so sis."

"The Particle Magnum is a great gun. Colonel Mitchell proved that the reverse engineered version is badass-and-well, uh…" she took a few steps away and stared at the gate, praying that Wolf would leave her alone. She didn't want her to see her blushing.

Wolf figured she had had enough fun at her sister's expense. For now.

After the Stargate activated it was only a short wait before O'Neill gave them the go head. Benjamin took the lead with Stahl, Fox and Wolf. The representatives came behind them.

On the other side he found himself on a large open plaza, fifty meters-or so-across with ten heavy turrets in proximity of the Stargate. A defense against unwanted visitors. He counted twenty anti-air artillery pieces in the vicinity. On his left-a hundred meters away was lines and lines of barracks. Right ahead at the plaza's end was the main complex.

"Pretty heavy defenses," he heard Stahl mutter impressed.

"Yeah," Fox agreed.

Benjamin focused on the Squad of marines facing them.

"Welcome to Erudas," the Sergeant greeted them. "Assuming you are the Earth delegation."

"That's correct son," General LeClair confirmed.

"Follow us inside sirs, madams," the Sergeant said as courteously as a marine could.

"Will do," Benjamin acknowledged.

They were first shown to their temporary rooms during the conference. Then they were led to the meeting room where the conference were to take place. There was give tables, one for each group of delegates, and they all faced each other. Already present was the UNSC delegates. General Montgomery, Admiral Petra Hammond, Ambassador Tillers and Colonel Wadsworth. Montgomery had been a last minute addition. A representation of military, civilian and ONI. The Sangheili delegation was made up of two, a Fleet master and a Field Marshal. The Tok'ra delegation had two of their people present. After the prompt greeting back and forth the Earth delegates had a seat.

The Free Jaffa Nation was represented by a pair of High Councilors. Teal'c and a female Jaffa named Amenset.

As the conference was about to begin an Intelligence officer handed Wadsworth a datapad. He read through it quickly. It was about their Earth allies. He had seen similar reports in the past, concerning an unconfirmed report that they were constructing their first Carrier. Unlike the prior reports, this was confirmed that they were building their first Carrier. Clearly a concept they had taken from the UNSC, which irritated him. Combining this with an earlier report from Hallana that the SGC teams had stolen a ZPM that the UNSC wanted. They had tried to get their hands on one for years, with no success. What gave the Jaffa the right to let give away what belonged to the UNSC?

He gestured for the officer to go away.

"A suitable place to start would be a common enemy," General Montgomery spoke. The old marine general spoke with a firm and steady voice. "Advent is grown into a grave threat, a virus to pull out by the roots."

The next to speak was the UN Ambassador.

While he did Wadsworth studied the individuals in the oval room. His gaze fixated on the Tok'ra for a moment. He didn't understand why they had been allowed to be present or even partake in any alliance. They had no military power to speak of, their race was dying and their intelligence couldn't measure with ONI. They were only here because Earth and the Jaffa were allied with them. His views of the Tau'ri was slightly different. They certainly had advanced technology-much of which they wasn't sharing with the UNSC-but their fleet was insignificant compared to the UNSC Navy's size. He didn't trust or liked them. Why the UNSC allowed them to remain a key partner in the allies was beyond his comprehension.

"We are doing our part against Advent," Doctor Jackson reiterated the UN Ambassador's previous point.

"The UNSC have destroyed more ships, bases and killed more men then you," Montgomery remarked dryly,

"Our previous operation destroyed three bases and several ships."

"With, all due respect," General LeClair jumped in. "What you did was destroy minor bases, a few Corvettes and kill four-hundred men. Meanwhile we are working towards dismantling the organization by finding and destroying key bases and capturing Colonel Eli and other key leadership members."

Doctor Jackson went down a more diplomatic route then the general.

"This meeting isn't about assigning blame. We're here to find solution for this and other issues. To agree upon the Task Force to fight Advent, not each other."

"I agree," Teal'c stated. "We all have a stake in Advent's defeat."

Admiral Hammond exchanged a look with Montgomery and he sighed inward and nodded slowly.

"Our apologize," he shifted part of the blame from himself,

"A permanent Task Force focused only on Advent, with elements and resources drawn from all members of the alliance."

He threw a glance to the Tok'ra whom he, and others in HIGCOM hadn't accepted as a valued ally. They knew they had experience and expertise, but if it made them worthy allies, was the question. A common counter statement was that it was only the xenophobia of military officers, a xenophobia that had grown for almost five decades, since the Covenant War, then the Goa'uld invasion and the Ori crusade after that. Although the latter hadn't effected the UNSC to the extent the rest of the galaxy had suffered. And although the new generation that was both in the last decade was growing up mostly free from xenophobic thoughts the veterans within the military wasn't.

Benjamin was looking around at the security in the oval room, excluding his own team minus Locke. There was two Tok'ra security operatives from their delegation, a handful of Jaffa and three Sangheili warriors in blue armor. The UNSC was off course responsible for the majority of the conferences security, since it was on their base. There was eight marines stationed along the door and behind their delegates.

"Any Task Force would require enough ships to transport them quickly, and engage hostile force without the immediate need for reinforcements," Admiral Hammond stated,

"Since Stargate Command was first to speak of forming a Task Force, you might as well start with your contribution."

Doctor Jackson and the Ambassador allowed General LeClair to handle that part.

"Thank you Admiral," he said,

"Earth will tomorrow unveiled our first Carrier to our people. The _Achilles_." He didn't expect any reactions of surprise. The Tok'ra and Jaffa High Council knew, the Sangheili had assisted in going over blueprints from their own Carrier class ships. Although they didn't have a confirmation they must have suspected it. ONI probably knew too, some espionage work to thank for that,

"The _Achilles_ will be joined be two of our Daedalus class Battlecruisers. The Earth Ships _Phoenix_ and _Sevastopol_. In way of ground forces, a few of our SG teams and a detachment of UEAF marines."

Wadsworth avoided snorting. Three ships and some marines and Spartan rip-offs? What a disgrace!

"With our limited resources there isn't much we can contribute in material, but with agents in many corners of the galaxy our intelligence network will keep this Task Force up to date on Advent operations and movements. That said, six cloaked Tel'Tak Scout ships is already on their way to Valhalla to join up with the Earth Ships," one of the Tok'ra reps explained.

"We appreciate your efforts in assisting us in this matter," Jackson added in. Although a few present thought so, it wasn't a game of who had the most to add.

Listening in, Benjamin thought six scout ships with cloak capabilities was more than adequate for the Tok'ra addition. It gave them the ability to land a number of men undetected.

The Tok'ra nodded back in appreciation.

The Sangheili Field Marshal spoke up,

"The Sword of Sanghelios is stretched thin now, has us fighting on many fronts against several opponents. I must apologize, but we have no ships to commit to this struggle. Now when we struggle for survival as a society, as a people," he explained apologetically.

After decades of war, followed by a decade of Civil War had grounded down the old Covenant's splinter factions power and resources. Arbiter Thel Vadam's government was on the verge of a manpower shortage. Like many of their opponents were too.

"You do not need to apologize Field Marshal," Hammond told him sincerely.

"Our people understand all do well what a Civil War may entail," Amenset said compassionately.

"Your assistance is much appreciated Councilor," the Field Marshal told her.

For the last five years an Expeditionary Force of Jaffa troops and ships had assisted the Sangheili. But with the growing possibility of Civil War the men had been withdraw late last year and only ships remained. They represented enough force to keep the Arbiter and his people happy about it still.

The Jaffa female, Amenset took over from there after nodding pleasantly to the Sangheili. She had quite pale skin, with red silk smooth hair and blue eyes. She dressed herself in grey robes, similar of those worn by Teal'c presently. The majority of Councilors wore robes of white or grey colors.

"We pledge two Motherships to this cause."

"As well as 2,000 Jaffa," Teal'c added in, with a nod directed at Doctor Jackson.

"Very well," Hammond said,

"On the behalf the UNSC, we pledge six Strident Heavy Cruisers, two Marathon Heavy Cruisers and our new Orion II Assault Carrier class warship, along with a Company of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers and two full Battalions of marines. They will leave for your colony, Valhalla as soon as they are ready."

Benjamin looked at his teammates. While Wolf and Stahl looked composed, Fox was looking more and more bored.

"Let us talk about the Ancient vessel Earth has at its disposal," General Montgomery said. " _Destiny_."

He was adamant to make sure the UNSC would get something out of this. Access or even control over that ship could put them on the path of advancing their technology infinitely, and help make his people the galaxy's greatest military power. They had to get Destiny, somehow, whether Earth agreed or not. Off course he knew many in the Government and HIGHCOM wouldn't agree, so they couldn't be told. He had contact with certain individuals that agreed with him though.

Doctor Jackson sighed. They had had this conversation a thousand times. Since the Ancient ship _Destiny_ -and its crew-managed to make their way home by using the same kind of Ancient drive Atlantis used to travel from Pegasus to Earth instantaneously their allies had had _requests_. Obviously he thought the knowledge was to be shared and the knowledge aboard _Destiny's_ computers had and was being shared. It even had a small number of scientists from the Tok'ra, Jaffa and UNSC scientists working with the Tau'ri, or Earth teams, under Doctor Nicholas Rush's supervision.

Unfortunately some UNSC elements wasn't satisfied with what they were getting. But all attempts negotiated to shared or trade control of the ship had failed for years.

 **12** **th** **February 2566 UNSC Calendar**

 **System Erevan, Planet Myer**

The tall Alpha Jiralhanae had planted his Gravity Hammer in the gory mess that had ones been a Sangheili. Blood had splattered onto his red power armor. Apart from his helmet, he had the full armor on. He withdrew the bloodied Gravity Hammer with a grunt and looked onward towards the horizon. He stood upon a ridge overlooking an arid countryside with a few hills, but mostly open ground.

As far as his black eyes could see Jiralhanae moved amongst the dead Sangheili bodies. A few dozen Unggoy was moving around. They had been fortunate enough to survive the battle. Smoke from burning vehicles rose towards the sky.

His commlink went off and he activated it.

"Yes?" His grim dark voice asked.

"War Chieftain, we have won the battle in space," the Jiralhanae commanding the space battle told him.

"Excellent Aratus! Tell me the specifics," War Chieftain Drorzyus demanded in an ecstatic voice.

"Your ambush tactic worked," Aratus explained. "We only lost a few Corvettes and Frigates. Nothing significant. Three of the Sangheili Battlecruisers were destroyed, and all smaller ships. However, better up, we boarded and captured two Assault Carriers!"

Drorzyus gave a vicious laugh.

"Good, good. The mines on this planet will serve us well. Reorganize the fleet and take up a defending posture. Now we will hold our conquest." He closed the channel.

He stepped over the Sangheili corpse and saw a flotilla of Phantoms descending to retrieve his army. It was now time to consolidate this conquered planet and use its assets. Heh ad no doubt that the Unggoy who worked the mines for the Sangheili would have no problem doing the same for him. Otherwise he'd slaughter them until they agreed, if necessary.

He army would now spread out to assume control over specific regions. The colony's capital for ones, and the Stargate too. It was important and it had to come under his control. He would install a local Garrison to keep his laws and order when he left for his next campaign. After sustaining a campaign across seven planets in this sector it was time to temporarily halt and strengthen his powerbase.

"Chieftain!" A Jiralhanae warrior shouted.

Drorzyus came over to him.

"What is it?"

He pointed down at a Sangheili body and kicked it.

The Alpha's eyes widened with a grim grin. On the ground laid Arbiter Mel Kaaldrumee. The leader of Mel Kaaldrumee's Covenant. Drorzyus started laughing.

"Not so great anymore, are you!" He mocked the corpse.


	5. VI Old Enemies

Halo Gateway Chapter V

 **14** **th** **February 2020 Earth Calendar**

 **Planet Earth**

 **Continent North America, Cheyenne Mountain, Stargate Command**

Cooper and Mitchell had been called to General O'Neill's office. She wondered what the former Homeworld Command head wanted them. She theorized it could be about the conference, the Task Force perhaps. She had expected Colonel Mitchell to be on it, but wasn't sure about herself.

Since O'Neill's door was open they stopped in the doorway.

"Come in colonel, major," O'Neill welcomed.

"General," Mitchell said, stopping in front of the table. "Do we know how Advent found out about the dig on Hallana?"

"No," O'Neill said in a plain tone. "And truth be hold Mitchell, we may never do. It could have been a leak from us, UNSC, Jaffa, Sangheili, hell I'm not sure the Sangheili would ever admit it. UNSC either for that matter. They're still pissed about us taking the **Jaffa** ZPM without consulting them." He emphasized the word ' _Jaffa_ ' extra. It had been found on their planet after all.

Mitchell sat down in the chair in front on O'Neill while Cooper took the chair along the wall by the door.

"I want you in charge of the Task Force Mitchell," O'Neill said.

Mitchell was surprised by that, but kept his calm stone-faced expression.

"Err, yes sir."

O'Neill put his arms down on his desk.

"At least of our forces. I don't imagine it'll be easy agreeing on leadership. Sangheili won't partake and the Jaffa and Tok'ra won't argue too much. We have friends in the High Council that can argue our side. But Daniel's latest report says that they want one…Brigadier General Ronald Hessen in complete command."

"We add a colonel and they raise us a general," Cooper added her two cents.

"Something like that."

"Sir, is Hessen anything like General Montgomery?" Mitchell asked.

"No. Our sources says he's a man of action. As far from a pencil pushing desk fanatic as you can come. That's always something. This isn't cut in stone, it'll take a while." O'Neill fiddled with his fingers. "Always does. Anyways! You're both going to be part of the Task Force, including your team Cooper. When, is another beast entirely."

"Understood, sir," Cooper said.

"Lastly, Mitchell…" O'Neill's voice lowered and he looked between Mitchell and Cooper, making her leaned in. She started getting a bad feeling about this next part. "SG16 was attacked by a group of Jaffa and a Sangheili. The Jaffa had very pale skin, and had the mark of Katonda."

"So they were from Coral Mortum," Mitchell gathered. "Wolf and Fox's homeworld."

O'Neill nodded.

"All these Jaffa had symbiotes. No Tritonin. The Sangheili…SG16 reported that his eye glowed."

Cooper gasped. "He was a Goa'uld!"

"Doctors are starting an autopsy downstairs, but it looks like it. Even for a Sangheili he could take a pounding." He pushed over a file to Mitchell and Cooper to look at. "His armor was that of a Zealot. Their Special Forces."

"I thought Ba'al was the last Goa'uld," Cooper inquired worriedly.

"So we did."

"I remember the Jaffa from Coral Mortum was loyal to Katonda longer than most other Jaffa," Mitchell stated, wrapping his head around this. "But that loyalty ended when he was killed."

O'Neill raised a finger,

"We've been down this road before so excuse the déjà vu. We blew up his Mothership naturally we assumed he was still on board, but…considering this new revelation. There is a worrying possibility that Katonda is alive. The symbiotes came from somewhere so if there is a queen out there…Mitchell, go to the planet with SG20 and help SG16 search the area."

"Yes, General." Mitchell stood at attention, as did Cooper.

"Dismissed."

If there was any really good news it was that the Lucian Alliance had officially shattered into twenty-or-so pieces whilst continuing fighting amongst themselves. It had worked out perfectly after the UNSC assassinated the entire leadership. It left minor leaders vying for power.

He thought about this Goa'uld scenario and the Sangheili host. He wondered who he had been, what he had done. With a Queen and enough loyal Jaffa this Goa'uld-supposedly Katonda-could breed numerous symbiotes. The worst case scenario here was that the Goa'uld had gained a foothold in one of the Covenant factions. But the Sangheili could also have been a loner found and taken as a host. He massaged his wrinkled forehead. He had been considering retirement for some time, but he had to catch Colonel Eli first. The leader of Advent.

There was a knock on the door from the briefing room.

"Yes?" O'Neill asked, stretching out the word.

The door opened and Walter Harriman walked through. He kept a light hold on the door handle as he halted in the doorway.

"Excuse me, general." He had a face that shouted of _'bad news'_.

"What now?" O'Neill asked.

"We received a message from Master Bra'tac on Dakara. He say that a Jaffa Civil War is almost inevitable. The latest Council resolution failed when a third of the Councilors failed to be present and several factions have started arming. Yesterday on Coral Mortum humans supporting Ry'banuc started rioting and a full scale fight started in the capital when Jaffa tried quelling it."

O'Neill slowly nodded after hearing Harriman's report. It felt like things just started getting worse.

"Sir?"

"Thank you Walter."

"Yes, sir."

Harriman left the general alone in his office.

 **14** **th** **February 2566 Military Calendar**

 **Jaffa space, Planet Coral Mortum**

 **Capital Shin'uac'ktoch, Research Center**

Colonel John Hargrove was standing on the buildings second fleer when he looked out the window and down at the street. He was leading a small contingent of UNSC marines that had been assigned to protect a science team on Coral Mortum. They had been here for four months, investigating Naquadah for the potential to cooperate with with Ancient technology to make an even more dangerous bomb. They had also explored the wildlife and investigated a fast growing plant that a lot of farmers sowed.

"What are you looking at colonel?" The AI asked cheerfully through the intercom installed.

"The people outside," was his gruff answer.

He was the CO of the regiment that their detachment came from. The Blood Ravens. It had originally been created for a moral boost on the Presidents orders. Back in the war against the Ori Crusade Hargrove had performed an airdrop on top of a heavily entrenched enemy position and won with an already decimated Battalion of Drop Troopers. The victory had given the demoralized local army troops a boost after a UNSC fleet had been wrecked by the Ori fleet. To really squeeze the opportunity it was decided to form the Blood Ravens as a Special Forces unit with customized armor. Their armor-although-very similar to standard drop trooper armor it was dark red. In present day the Blood Ravens was simply an extension of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.

"Oh." She lost her cheerful tone.

Outside Jaffa and humans conducted a firefight. Yesterday it had been a riot, five hours ago it turned into a battlefield and it happened all across the city. At first it had been an all-human riot but Hargrove counted Jaffa on both sides.

"It's gonna turn into a bloodbath if nobody puts a stop to it." There was a hint of sorrow in his voice.

So many people were dying and he could do nothing. He had strict orders from the Commander-in-Chief of the Marine Corps to stay out of it. The UNSC couldn't involve themselves in the Jaffa's Civil War-if it came to it. They had enough trouble with their Sangheili allies.

Staff Sergeant Ferrell appeared in the entrance to the door.

"Sir, there is a transmission from Erudas," he informed him.

Hargrove nodded and turned on his heels to walk to the communications room. Well there the AI was sitting on a holotank and two scientists was working on a pair of consoles. On the holotank was the also hologram of Colonel Wadsworth. Beside it stood the marine responsible for Hargrove's security detail. Holly Reiben. She had her SAW strapped over her back.

"Jan," Hargrove nodded in acknowledgement.

"Henry," Wadsworth said with a warm smile, or his attempt at one at least.

"I assume this isn't a social call," Hargrove said dryly.

Wadsworth chuckled.

"Funny. But no. It isn't. The conference is over for the day and I wanted to go over ONIs sources personally and check the information."

"Yes?"

"What is the situation on Coral Mortum?"

 _There we go, the reason_ , Hargrove thought. Probably wants to abuse the situation somehow.

"Approximately five hours ago the capital of Shin'uac'ktoch turned into a war zone between two sides. Our orders are to not intervene and only use force in self-defense. All humans here seem to be on the same side with some Jaffa from offworld. They are up against the locals. There is actually a fight outside. The Jaffa detachment defending the research center is attacked by the others."

Wadsworth picked up on one detail.

"You said the Jaffa with the humans are from other planets, how do you know?"

"Their skin is a dead giveaway," Hargrove answered matter-of-factly. "This planet is generally foggy and the sun has trouble cracking through the constantly cloudy sky. It have given the Jaffa and humans native to this planet very pale skin. The Jaffa fighting with and leading the humans have darker skin colors. Indicating that they weren't born here."

Wadsworth scratched his chin.

"Any idea who these people support? A few reports indicate Ry'banuc has some supporters amongst the humans and we know the Jaffa support Amenset. After she blasted her false god Katonda's ship to bits with him on board She became the de facto leader of most of his Jaffa, ships and resources. You've seen her palace?"

Hargrove nodded. He had followed the head-scientist to Amenset's palace ones. She built it on the ruins of Katonda's. She first sued a Mothership to blast it to smithereens and then built her own palace on top of it.

He nodded and looked at Jubilance.

The AI straightened out her holographic summer skirt and made sure the flowers in her holographic hair wasn't falling out.

"Jubilance," he gritted.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry. While there is no question as to that the majority of the Jaffa is loyal to Councilor Amenset, intelligence suggest heavily that the humans lean towards either Councilors Ry'banuc or Mun'ano. Many of the humans here hate Amenset. Since she was Katonda's First Prime they felt like very little changed when she basically assumed governance over the planet. Humans are a minority here and have very little say. Humans have no representation in the High Council." Jubilance finished up by dusting none-existent dirt off her dress before adding a final detail,

"And finally, this part of the galaxy was almost untouched by the Replicator invasion that almost ripped this galaxy apart over a decade ago. That was before we encountered the Jaffa or the Tau'ri. But we have extensive data on it, even though we survived it. Amenset became a big player in the formation of the Jaffa Council since they had survived the war. Fun history fact for you."

"Thank you," Hargrove thanked her.

"Has the fighting reached Amenset's palace?" Wadsworth asked.

"I don't know, why?" Hargrove shrugged.

"Amenset left the negotiations two hours ago. Used the Stargate after Teal'c made an excuse for her. She probably went home to deal with this. This could be good."

Amenset didn't share UNSC political views and was a threat against Ry'banuc, their preferred Jaffa to deal with.

"I doubt her palace is under threat though."

Wadsworth frowned.

"Why is that?"

"The palace is defended by high thick walls with its own shield generators and two Battalions of Jaffa. 2,000 men guarding it. If anything did go wrong she could use rings to get to orbit, or a shuttle from her airfield in the palace grounds."

Wadsworth pondered it.

"Maybe not. It's a longshot but heck. She will most likely stay close to the fighting, if not partake in it herself. That was how she operated during the Rebellion, the fall of the Goa'uld and the Ori Invasion."

"She's gonna have a security detail. She's important enough not to." Hargrove looked at the young Staff Sergeant Reiben for a moment.

Ferrell was looking out one of the windows.

"Colonel, the Jaffa drove off the attackers."

"Understood Staff." He turned his attention back to Wadsworth. "Well that's all the info we have for you, Jan. anything else?"

"….No. That was all. Appreciate it Henry."

When Wadsworth's hologram disappeared Hargrove sighed.

"Colonel," Jubilance said.

He turned his attention to her.

"I'm picking up Jaffa chatter indicating that Amenset's reinforcements is arriving by Al'kesh from other cities and fortresses on the planet," she informed him.

Hargrove nodded in acknowledgement.


	6. Update

Update

* * *

Hi,

So I was trying my best to get back into writing this it's been too long and I have decided to write a new version under the same name. this one has been renamed to add (Old Version) as you can tell.

I'm sorry about this guys but it has to be. I've decided to write a little about what to broadly expect.

The story takes place in 2015 instead of 2020 and it's an alternative reality where the Goa'uld wasn't fully beaten. The Free Jaffa Nations still exist but they are far less powerful and the Goa'uld has remained a strong power in the Milky Way. The Goa'uld ranks possess a Goa'uld posing as a Forerunner, so it's not just a meeting of two universes but a mix into one functional universe that will hopefully make sense.

The UNSC's war against the Covenant has reached its original peak as they are cooperating with the Tau'ri of Earth-where the Stargate Program has gone public back in 2012-and the Tok'ra and Free Jaffa Nation. On their part the Covenant is splintered amongst Separatists, the unchanged believers in the Covenant and the servants of the Goa'uld.

Speaking of the UNSC, I am leaning towards keeping it as it was in the original here where their homeworld is Reach since I'm not big on having two Earth's if it isn't necessary.

Feel free to comment on this if you have a better idea on this matter.

Anywho…I won't go into any further details at this point but I plan on releasing the first chapter this coming week. Hopefully.


End file.
